Rail-spike.



H. T. HUGHES.

RAIL SPIKE.

.APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 26, 1913.

1,087,912. Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

WITNESSES caLummA FLANOGRAPH COVWASHINGTON, n. c,

"barren STAThJiIiAEENT canton.

HUGH T. HUGHES, F YOUNGSTOWN, GHIO, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH TO SHELLEY M. STRAIN, ONE-EIGHTH T0 SYLVESTER D. MYERS, AND ONE-EIGHTH T0 LEVI K. KLINGENSMITH, ALL OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

RAIL-SPIKE.

Specification of Letters ?atent.

Application filed March 26, 1913.

Patented Feb, 17, 1914;. Serial No. 757,035.

To all whom it may concern lie it known that I, HUGH T. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Youngstown, in the county of lrlahoning and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Spikes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spikes, designed more particularly for use in securing railway rails to wooden ties, and one of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a spike having inclined shoulders at the opposite sides thereof, to force the spike i head over the base flange of the rail during the driving of the spike, said inclinedshoulders displacing the fibers of the wooden tie in a manner to force the spike head toward i the base flange of the rail.

it has been found in practice that the ordinary rail spikes become loosened in use and are forced awav from the base flange of the rail, thus loosening the rail and in many instances causing the wheels of the rolling stock to run off the rail.

By means of my invention, the overhanging head of the spike is forced against the base liange of the rail by means of the inclined shoulders at the sides of the spike, thus providing a firm holding of the rail in place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spike having an overhanging head to engage the base flange of the rail, inclined shoulders in the shank of the spike which extend from the back of the spike to the front side thereof, said shoulders being widest at their upper end and running practically to a flush surface with the shank and at the front side thereof, the shank of the spike being preferably of slightly concave form at the front and back thereof in order that the fibers may closely hug the spike and prevent its withdrawal.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a spike having an overhanging head to engage the base flange of the rail, in clined shoulders at opposite sides of the shank of the spike and a rib or projection extending across the front of the spike just under the overhanging head to engage the bottom of the outer edge of the base flange when the spike is driven to insure a firm connection of the rail to the tie.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a spike made in accordance with my invention and shown in position for use with the rail tie and a portion of the base flange of the rail shown in section; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation the spike before it is driven; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of spike made in accordance with my invention. I

Referring to 1 and 2 of the drawing, the numeral 1. designates the top of the head of the spike which is preferably of curved or slightly rounded form and provided with an overhanging portion 2 adapted to enthe base flange 3 of the rail when driven into the wooden tie 4:. The sides 5 of the head are inclined as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, and the shank portion 6 of the spike is substantially rectangular in section at its upper portion underneath the head. inclined shoulders 7 are formed at opposite sides of the spike said shoulders being wider at their upper portion 8 where they are slightly rounded, and continuing to the point 9 which is practically flush with the front edge of the spike. The point 10 of the spike is of chisel form, and may be provided with rounded corners 11. The back or outer edge 12 of the spike is somewhat concave in form as is also the front edge 13.

In the modified form shown in F 3, the spike is substantially identical with that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the exception of a rib or projection a which extends across the front portion of the spike underneath the projecting portion 6 of the head. The rib a is designed to engage the bottom of the base flange 3 of the rail to prevent withdrawal of the spike and to give additional holding power thereto. The spike shown in this figure is also provided with inclined shoulders 7 and substantially all the features described in reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

A spike made in accordance with my invention when driven into a woo-den tie will be crowded by the fibers toward the base flange of the rail, owing to the inclined shoulders '7 engaging the fibers and forcing the spike over the base flange of the rail, as will be obvious. The rib a will engage the bottom of the outer edge of the flange 3 to provide additional means for preventing Withdrawal of the spike in ordinary use.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that a spike made in accordance with my invention can be produced at a cost no greater than that of the ordinary spike and will serve to firmly hold the base flange of the rail and to prevent movement of the rail in use.

I claim:

The herein described rail spike provided With an overhanging head to engage the base flange of a rail, said head having inclined sides, said spike being provided With shoulders at the opposite sides of the body portion thereof, said shoulders extending from the back edge of the spike body in an inclined direction to the front edge of said body, and said shoulders being Wider at their upper and outer ends and extending to a point substantially flush with the front edge of the spike body underneath the overhanging head to force the spike against the base flange of the rail When driven, the

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of fastens Washington, D. C. 

